Electrical cut-out for automotive vehicles



prill 30, 1935. T. H. SMITH l,999,216 l, ELECTRICAL CUTr-OUT FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES Filed Nov. l0, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l In 11,1. 'I'

April 3U, 1935. T. H. SMITH ELECTRICAL CUT-OUT FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES 2 sheds-sheet 2 Filed NOV. lO, 1935 aiented insane IEILIECTRHCAIL (CW-@TUT FR IiilU'liiDlIitiTWlE WMCILES '.ihomas H. Smith, Norwoodyhl. i3. dppiication November iii, i933, Serial No. 692,425@

4l iClaims..

This invention relates to means adapted to be associated with a self-propelled vehicle, such as an automobile, truck and the like, for preventing res following collisions, overturning and like accidents. It is a Well known fact that in the case of a collision of an automobile with another object, that the collision happens so suddenly that the operator of the automobile rarely has time or opportunity to cut the switch before the collision, and a fire results from spilled fuel when ignited by a spark from the electrical circuits leading from the battery.

It is an object of this invention to provide means for automatically disconnecting the battery from the electrical circuits of an automobile, and the like, in case of collision or overturning the automobile, truck or the like. With this object in view, means are provided which are operable by the bumper engaging an object with sumcient force to disconnect the battery from the ignition and lighting circuits of an automobile, and other means are also provided for cutting the ignition and lighting circuits when the automobile is overturned either as a result of a collision or from other causes.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, the details of the invention will appear more fully as hereinafter explained when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the iront portion of an automobile with the body and engine of the automobile removed and showing my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line i-i in Figure l; Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4i is a sectional view taken along the line i-d in Figure l.;

Figure 5 is an isometric view of a bumper attachable to the front and rear ends of an automobile;

`iiligure 6 is an isometric view oi' a switch actuating means adapted, to be slidably mounted on the bumper;

Figure 7 is an isometric view of one of the links operable by the slidable member on the bumper;

Figure 8 is an isometric view of another link operable by the slidable means on the bumper;

Figure 9 is an isometric view of the block operating the switch;

F f 10 is an isometric view of a link operable when the automobile is overturned;

' Figure il is an isometric view of another link operable when the automobile is overturned.

Referring more speciiically to the drawings the numerals iii and il indicate the front end of the chia springs oi an automobile to which is secured ii and it, said springs being also secured (Gi. liti-b3) to axle ifi of the automobile, the automobile having wheels i5 and it and a steering rod ii together with suitable steering arms iii and i9, the arm it being connected by a rod 2t which in turn, is connected to the steering mechanism not shown. The structure thus far described is conventional in any automobile, `truck and the like.

Although i have the shown the front bumper of an automobile equipped with my mechanism, it is evident that be equipped in like manner.

The peculiar mechanism herein employed comprises a bumper @i having a groove 2i along the front end thereof and having holes it and 221i! vertically disposed in the end thereof. Bumper il also has brackets it and 2t integral therewith having slots 2li and it therein and having the vertically disposed portions it and iii for attaching the same to the chassis of the automobile.

Adapted to be slidably mounted in groove iii is a bar iii having notches iii and 35i therein, and having slots 234i and it therein which slots are adapted to be penetrated by pins tit and il', penetrating holes it and 2li respectively. Compression springs iii and iii are disposed in the slots iid and 35 between pins it and il and the front ends oi the slots and Sib to normally move the slidable member ii forwardly at all times when it is not pushed backwardly by impact as a result of a fixed or movable body.

Secured to bumper iii, by suitable means, such as screws iii and di is a base member iii and cover lia which have slidably mounted therein a member it which is normally pressed to the left in Figure 2 by means of a compression spring lid. This member dit has a cam surface on one side thereof which, when the member @it slides forwardly, in Figure i, is adapted to engage a switch stem it which is slidably mounted in block di and normally held in the position shown in Figure l by means of a compression spring lb. This switch block i5 has a conducting member di secured to its right hand end, see Figure l, and is normally held by spring it on contact points it and it which are connected to the wires t@ and bi of the electrical circuit, the wire til, for example, leading from the battery, and the wire bi leading i'rom the ignition and lighting circuits of the automobile.

if desired, a switch it may be switched across this circuit on the instrument board of the automobile so that this circuit may be closed and the mechanism operated by the bumper rendered inoperative in case of parking and the like, where the slidable member il is likely to engage a car in front or behind the automobile equipped with these special bumpers. Pivotally mounted in the collision or running into a v slots 21 and 28 are links 55 and 56 which are pivoted on pins 51 and 58 penetrating holes 59 and 60 in the portions 25 and 26. The proximate ends of these members 55 and 56 are slotted as at 60 and 6l and are penetrated by a pin 62 which also penetrates block 43, the links 55 and 56 passing through a slot 64 in member 43. Link 56 has a notch 65 therein and also a notch 66 at the end thereof. These notches are adapted to receive one end of links 61 and 68, respectively, which are pivotally mounted at their other ends as at 10 and 11 on a weighted lever 12. The links 61 and 68 are normally held in the position shown in Figure l by means of tension spring 13. The front end of lever 12 is pivotally connected as at 15 to member 42. The ends of spring 13 are connected to the lugs 11 and 18 respectively on the links 61 and 68.

In order to prevent the weight lever 12 from undue vibration, on account of it being moved by irregularities in the roadway, it is adapted to rest in a slot 19 in a member B which is secured on axle 14. A leaf spring 8| is provided to prevent undue vibration of weighted lever 12,7and if desired, small projections 83 and 84 may be provided on the lower portion of bracket to prevent lateral movement of member 12 except upon overturning of the car where the ball or heavy weight 12a on the end of lever 12 would overcome the pressure of spring 8| and cause the lever to be moved to push block 43 forwardly and open the circuit leading from the battery to the ignition and lighting circuit.

It is evident that in case the member 3| strikes i an object, that either link 55 or 56 would have its outer end moved backwardly toward the automobile, see Figure 1, which would move its central portion forwardly and move block 43 forwardly and open the electrical circuit of the automobile. Likewise, in case of overturning; a weighted lever 12 will move on account of gravity in one direction or another, and therefore, either link 61 or 68 would move link 56 forwardly and this would move block 43 forwardly and open the switch in the electrical circuit in the automobile.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An electrical cutout for motor vehicles comprising a bumper element, a base member carried by said bumper element and extending rearwardly of the latter, a normally closed circuit breaker mounted to'said base member and electrically connectedA to an ignition system of a motor vehicle, an actuating member slidably mounted to the base member and having a cam face to engage with and operate the circuit breaker for breaking the ignition circuit, spring means normally positioning the operating member topermit the circuit breaker to remain closed, links pivotally and slidably connected to said operating member tand pivoted to the bumper element, and means connected with said links for effecting movement of the latter during an accident to the motor vehicle and thereby impart movement to the operating member for the actuation of the circuit breaker to break the ignition circuit.

2. An electrical cutout for motor vehicles comprising a bumper element, a base member carried by said bumper element and extending rearwardly of the latter, a normally closed circuit breaker mounted to said base member and electrically connected to an ignition system of a motor vehicle, an actuating member slidably mounted to the base member and having a cam face to engage with and operate the circuit breaker for breaking the ignition circuit, spring means normally positioning the operating member to permit the circuit breaker to remain closed, links pivotally and slidably connected to said operating member and pivoted to the bumper element, aspring-pressed bar mounted to the bumper element for a limited sliding movement and engaging with the links to impart movement to the latter on contact with an object.

3. An electrical cutout for motor vehicles comprising a bumper element, a base member carried by said bumper element and extending rearwardly of the latter, a normally closed circuit breaker mounted to said base member and electrically connected to an ignition system of a motor vehicle, an actuating member slidably mounted to the base member and having a cam face to engage with and operate the circuit breaker for breaking the ignition circuit, spring means normally positioning the operating member to permit the circuit breaker to remain-closed, links pivotally and slidably connected to said operating member and pivoted to the bumper element, a spring-pressed bar mounted to the bumper ele.. ment for a limited sliding movement and engaging with the links to impart movement to the latter on contact with an object, a horizontally arranged weighted element pivotally connected to the base member, and means between said weighted member and one of said links for effecting movement of said link by avpivotal movement of said weighted member, and spring means for resisting the movement of the weighted member.

4. An electrical cutout for motor vehicles comprising a bumper element, a base member carried by said bumper element and extending rearwardly of the latter, a normally closed circuit breaker mounted to said base member and electrically connected to an ignition system of a motor vehicle, an actuating member slidably mounted to the base member and having a cam -face to engage with and operate the circuit breaker for breaking the ignition circuit, spring means normally positioning the operating member to permit the circuit breaker to remain closed, links pivotally and slidably connected to said operating member and pivoted to the bumper element, a spring-pressed bar mounted to the bumper element for a limited sliding movement and engaging with the links to impart movement to the latter on contact with an object, a horizontally arranged weighted' element pivotally connected to the base member, links pivotally connected to said weighted member and connected to one of said first-named links, spring means between the second-named links, and spring means for resisting the movement of the weighted member.

THOMAS H. SMITH. 

